updated: 31 January 2023

Community Impact Statements (CIS) can help criminal justice agencies understand the wider impact of hate crime and can improve decision making and increase public confidence. These guidelines specifically cover the use of CIS in Hate Crime cases. They should be read alongside the legal guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) which can be found on the CPS website.

Updated: 29 June 2023

This legal guidance provides Prosecutors with information to assist in reviewing and prosecuting offences involving domestic and captive animals. This guidance also gives information on private prosecutions led by the RSPCA, including considerations when taking over and discontinuing such prosecutions.

Updated: 01 December 2021: 01 August 2022

This legal guidance provides prosecutors with information to assist in reviewing and prosecuting cases of hare coursing. Hare coursing is the pursuit of hares with sight hounds, which chase the hare by sight and not by scent. This type of offending can also be known as hare poaching.

This document contains a statement of the national standards (standards) for the completion of the MG6 schedules and the Streamlined Disclosure Certificate.

; renamed and revised 24 April 2023; minor updates 6 October 2023, 22 April 2024 and 22 January 2025

This legal guidance addresses behaviour which is repeated and unwanted by the victim and which causes the victim alarm or distress. Cases involving stalking and harassment can be difficult to prosecute, and because of their nature are likely to require sensitive handling, especially with regard to victim care. The provision of accurate and up-to-date information to the victim throughout the life of the case, together with quality support and careful consideration of any special measures requirements are essential factors for the CPS to consider.

Updated: 26 Sep 2019; 31 Jan 2024; 3, 5 and 15 Jul 2024; 6 Feb 2026

This guidance provides a summary of the main types of cybercrime offending and highlights where further guidance is available

Updated: 3 August 2022

Updated 01 October 2021

The law limits the amount of time a person charged with a criminal offence can be kept in custody before the case is dealt with at court. This period (there are four different time limits depending on the type of offence and which court is dealing with the case) are called custody time limits. These limits must be strictly observed and can be extended by the court only in exceptional circumstances.

Reviewed and udpated: 31/08/2019

The primary duty of the CPS is to deliver justice through the independent and effective prosecution of crime. The purpose of making a charging decision is to determine whether a suspect should be subject to criminal proceedings. The charging decision is the gateway to the criminal justice system with all the protections that the process affords.